Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce speaks in April during a vote on SB 1070, the immigration bill he sponsored. The final version resembled "model legislation" he helped draft during an ALEC conference in Washington, D.C., last year.
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Shaping State Laws With Little Scrutiny

Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, pictured here at Tea Party rally on Oct. 22, was instrumental in drafting the state's immigration law. He also sits on a American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) task force, a group that helped shape the law.
Joshua Lott/Getty Images
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